rS 1449 
.G5 
1917 
Copy 1 



MIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS BULLETIN 



Vol. XIV 



Issued Weekly 
August 13, 1917 



No. 50 



[Entered as second-class matter December 11, 1912, at the post office at Urbana, Illinois 
under the Act of August 24, 1912] 



Department of Household Science 

Some Points in Choosing 
Textiles 

By 

Charlotte M. Gibbs, M. A. 



First Edition, 1910 
Fourth Edition, Revised, 1917 




PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
URBANA 



f>. of i). 

wiAh 3 1920 



A'^ 



\ 



N^ 






SOME POINTS IN CHOOSING TEXTILES 

In the past century a great change has come about in the position 
of the ^\"oman in the home, which has very vitally affected her relation 
to the textile industries. In the early days in this country nearly 
every woman produced the household linens and the clothing for her- 
self and her family, from the raising of the sheep or flax to the finished 
product. Now all is changed; with the introduction of ready-made 
snits and other garments, even the sewing is rapidly going from the 
home, while the manufacture of cloth is a forgotten art. 

In olden times the quality of homespun and woven material was 
the best possible to be obtained from the materials and methods known. 
Woolen cloth was all wool, and linen cloth was not adulterated with 
slarch or half cotton. Honest and durable materials were the rule 
of the day. 

With the introduction of machinery and the factory system came 
keen competition. Modern discoveries, chemical and otherwise, have 
increased the possibilities of cotton, linen, silk, and wool so that now 
it is difficult to recognize the original fiber in some of the materials sold. 

Thus, on the one hand, the field of textile knowledge has grown 
very much, while, on the other hand, the knowledge of women concern- 
ing textile fabrics has decreased, since women are no longer the makers 
of cloth, nor do they always gain a knowledge of its characteristics 
thru the making of garments. The result has been that they depend 
more and more on the word of clei'ks, who arc often as ignorant as 
themselves, until by painful experience the l^uycrs learn some of the 
things to be avoided. 

As the cost of living and the demands upon the family purse 
increase, it is more and more important that the woman of the house- 
bold should know how to spend the family income most economically. 
Since from ten to twenty percent of this income is spent for clothing 
m\d house furnishing, it is imperative that more thought and careful 
study should be put upon this branch of household economy. The 
object of this bulletin is to give some bits of information about textile 
fibers, their manufacture and adulteration, which may help in gaining 
that judgment in buying essential to every woman. 

Certain adulterations and devices of the modern manufacturer 
are so skilfully concealed as to be detected only by the use of chemical 
tests or the high power microscope. This bulletin will deal only with 
those qualities and adulterations which may be detected without the 
aid of laboratory equipment. IMuch of course may be learned by 



4 University of Illinois Bulletin [August, 

experieneo, but it seems better to save time and money by knowing 
beforehand what is to be demanded, what guarded against. 

Each one of the common materials used for textile fabrics, cotton, 
linen, wool, and silk, has its characteristics, each its definite uses. Cer- 
tain peculiarities in physical or chemical nature make each fiber 
peculiarly adapted to certain uses, but, so long as these general quali- 
ties are maintained, the variety of materials produced from these 
fibers may be enormous. Combinations of fibers in one material, adul- 
teration with cheaper fibers or with starches or metallic salts, may 
serve to reduce the cost, and yet the purpose of the material may be 
fulfilled. For certain purposes the materials may be used inter- 
changeably. 

COTTON 

Cotton is cheap and very plentiful. It has short, flat fibers with 
a spiral twist, thus giving elasticity and the possibility of being spun 
into fine thread. Being in itself very useful and inexpensive and 
capable of replacing, to a certain extent, any other fiber, it is used 
in very large (luantities the world over, and is manufactured into a 
gi'eat variety of materials. The (|uality of these materials depends on 
the strength of the fil)ers, the fineness or coarseness of material, the 
weave, the color and design, and the adulterations. 

Cotton, being cheapest, is not adulterated with any of the other 
fibers mentioned when the material is to be sold as cotton cloth, but 
it can be made to appear heavier b.y the addition of mixtures called 
(sizing. Starches, gums, dextrine, glue, china clay, as well as other 
ingredients in varying proportions, constitute this sizing, which may 
add a large percentage to the weight of the cloth. The spaces between 
the threads arc filled up and a good finish is given to the cloth, altho 
the wearing quality is not increased. If the sizing is present in large 
quantities, the cloth is greatly reduced in weight and firmness after 
the first washing. 

Adultei'ations of this kind can be detected by the feeling, a large 
quantity imparting a harshness to the material. In very thin fabrics 
the sizing may often be detected by holding the cloth up to the light, 
when the starch shows between the threads. Washing or thoro boiling 
of a sample will show the amount of sizing present. 

Another method of adulterating cotton is shown in certain kinds 
of dotted Swiss. A good swiss has thread dots woven or embroidered 
in the cloth. Figure lA shows a piece of material sold at the price 
of a good Swiss, but in this case the dots are merely a heavy paste, 
printed on the cloth. Figure IB shows the result of continued wash- 
ing, the dots having disappeared, and Figure IC, the result of ironing 
with a hot iron, Avhich turned the spots brown before the cloth itself 
was harmed. 



1917] Some Poixts ix Choosixg Textiles 



^ B 



^{. 



Figure 1 



6 University of Illinois Bulletin [August, 

Mercerized cotton is a cloth produced by the action of a strongs 
alkali on cotton fiber rinsed under tension. It is a strong, attractive 
material with good wearing qualities. An imitation of this may be 
made by the action of very heavy and very hot cylinders on ordinary 
cotton cloth. The mercerized cloth has a high luster which it retains 
after many washings, while the imitation loses its luster with the first 
washing. 

Sometimes cotton cloth which has been on the market for some 
time is weakened by the action of the chemicals used in bleaching, dye- 
iijg, or sizing. This may be detected easily by tearing the cloth. 

Standard cotton materials, such as muslins, organdies, percales, 
calicoes, and sheeting, differ only in the weight of the material, fine- 
ness of thread, hardness of twist, and method of finish. Ginghams 
have the thread dyed before weaving and frequently fancy weaves are 
used. Duck, denim, and some other heavy materials have very hard 
twisted threads and often are woven w^ith a twill. Silkolene is a trade 
name for a fine cotton cloth with a silky finish given after the cloth 
is woven. 

Mercerized cottons make lustrous materials such as poplin, imita- 
tion pongee, and numerous attractive house furnishing materials. 

India linon is entirely cotton, as is outing flannel and canton flan- 
nel. The two latter have a fleecy surface on one or both sides. 

]\Iany tussahs, voiles, economy linens, and other materials with 
rather deceptive names are cotton materials made to imitate silk, 
wool, or linen. 

LINEN 

Linen was formerly the most important vegetable fiber and was 
used commonly for all household purposes. Of late years it has been 
replaced largely by cotton, with which it may be compared, altho 
there are still uses for which we demand linen, and others for which 
we prefer linen to cotton. 

The linen fiber is long, smooth, and quite lustrous when spun 
into a thread. It is very strong and does not have so many fuzzy 
ends as are found in cotton. Cloth made from it is not only lustrous 
and rich looking, but because of its smoothness stays clean longer than 
cotton. The snowy whiteness of linen, obtained with some difficulty in 
bleaching, is quite permanent, and since the fiber takes dyes with 
difficulty and parts with them cjuite readily, it also does not retain 
stains as persistently as cotton. 

Linen is much more expensive than cotton, and when linen 
prices are paid, linen should be demanded. Since the two fibers are 
rather hard to distinguish, especially when heavily starched and given 
a good finish, it is quite easy to deceive the buyer. "Linen" collars 
are frequently largely cotton, "linen" handkerchiefs may not have a 



1917] Some Points in Choosing Textiles 7 

thread of linen, as is apt to be the ease with rather inexpensive em- 
broidered handkerchiefs, and table ' ' linen ' ' may be mercerized cotton, 
cotton and linen, or even ordinary cotton. 

To distinguish linen from cotton, examine the threads carefully. 
Cotton is made up of short fibers which project from the surface of the 
thread and become fuzzy when the thread is rubbed between the 
fingers; when broken, cotton has a tufted end, while the linen fibers 
break more unevenly and leave a more pointed end. The linen thread 
should be stronger than the cotton ; it has more luster and is usually 
more uneven. Some kinds of linen have flat threads, but cotton is 
frequently finished in imitation of flat thread linen. 

The old test of moistening the finger and putting it under the 
cloth is not always a sure one, as the moisture will not come thru a 
heavy linen, or one with much starch in it, and it will come thru a 
sheer, tightly twisted cotton. A better test is to put a drop of olive 
oil on the cloth and press between blotting papers. The linen becomes 
n'ore transparent than the cotton. 

There is a peculiar leathery feel about good table linen which cot- 
ton will not give, and the luster is different altho the difference is 
hard to describe. 

The typical weaves used for linens are as follows. The damask, 
satin, or sateen weave used for table linens and towels is especially 
good for the former because of the very smooth lustrous surface it 
affords, but not so good for towels as it does not absorb moisture very 
readily, altho it is very attractive. Huck, an uneven weave, giving a 
good surface for the absorption of water, makes splendid towels, and, 
decorated with designs in damask weave, may be very handsome. 
Many linens in plain weaves are available for clothing, embroidery, 
etc., while the coarse Russian crashes are becoming quite popular for 
decorative purposes. 

The texture of linen is such that the heavier kinds hang well in 
folds, lie flat on a table, and are very artistic for many purposes. 

WOOL . 

Wool, the second fiber in amount used for clothing, is an animal 
fiber and differs greatly from the vegetable fibers discussed. Wool 
from the sheep's back differs from hair of goats or other animals in 
several ways. Wool is very curly and possesses a scaly structure in a 
much more marked degree than hair, in which the external scales lie 
flat. The surface of wool has sometimes been compared to a pine cone, 
or to the scales of fish, altho these two are quite different. The 
scales on the wool fiber when moist and warm stand up, more as the 
pine cone, and when cold and dry or cold and moist, lie flat. This 
peculiar structure of the surface of the wool fibers gives them the 
pi'operty of felting, or matting very closely together. Wool is also 
quite elastic, altho it has not great strength. 



8 University of Illinois Bulletin' [Auotist, 

Since the demand for woolen cloth far exceeds the supply of new 
wool, there are many devices for makinj? the supply go a long way. 
and consequently many methods for deceiving the buyer. In adulter- 
ating a material, the manufacturer seeks a material cheaper than the 
fiber he wishes to adulterate and one which can be concealed readily. 
Wool when, combined with the cheaper cotton fiber makes a material 
which wears well, but does not keep its shape as well as all-wool cloth, 
is less warm, and should of course demand a lower price than all-wool. 

Because of the felting property of wool, it is quite possible to con- 
ceal a good deal of cotton under the surface of the woolen cloth, and 
when the fil)ers are mixed before the threads are spun, the task of 
detecting them becomes doubly difficult. 

WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS 

Two classes of cloth are manufactured from wool. Woolens are 
made usually of short wool carded and spun into yarn in which the 
fibers lie in all directions. This is woven into cloth which usually has 
the surface heavily felted, so that all of the intersections of threads 
in weaving are covered. Here, then, is splendid opportunity for adul- 
teration, since cotton or poor wool may be covered up by the surface 
f(lting. 

WORSTED 

The other class, Avorsted, is made from longer staple avooI, combed 
and drawn until the fibers are parallel, then hard twisted. When 
woven, the ends of the fibers do not project on the surface, and the 
finish is not intended to cover the weave, hence it is more difficult to 
adulterate unless entire cotton threads are woven with the Avorsted, 
and these are more easily detected than a mixture of cotton and wool, 
or shoddy in woolen cloth. Common examples of woolens are flannel, 
broadcloth, and Venetian cloth; of Avorsteds, serge, challie, men's suit- 
ings, and voile. Mohair is a worsted cloth woven of the wool of the 
Angora goat, with a Avarp usually of cotton or silk. 

The most reliable tests for a mixture of cotton and avooI are 
chemical or microscopic, but as these are not practical for the average 
buyer, others must be sought. Wool has luster and kinks; the ends oi 
the threads are stiff and look rather Avii-y. When a sample is carried 
home, burning Avill serve to distinguish l)etwecn the tAvo. AVool burns 
sloAvly, chars, has an odor of burnt feather, goes out easily, and leaves 
a crisp ash ; cotton Ijurns quickly Avith a fiamc, Avith little odor, and 
leaves no ash. 

A little practise in breaking the threads Avill help one to distin- 
guish between the two ; the difference is not one that can be easily 
explained, but the experienced housewife knoAVS it Avell; 



1D17] 



Some Points ix Choosing Textiles 




Figure 2 



10 



University op Illinois Bulletin 



[August, 



Figure 2A shows a sample of all-wool cloth, of the class ot 
worsteds which cost seventy-five cents a yard. Figure 2B shows a 
sample of cloth of the same price, called by the clerk, all-wool, but 
which on examination was found to have only four threads of wool to 
every twelve threads of cotton. Figure 2C shows this same cloth with 
the wool removed by a strong alkali, caustic potash, leaving the cotton. 
Figure 2D shows the wool left when the cotton has been ravelled out 
or has been removed by a strong acid solution. 




Figure 3 

Figure 3 shows a sample of mohair in which the wool has been 
partly removed, and the cotton warp left. In this case the price is 
not high, and, because of the character of the cloth, the mixture is a 
good one, light, smooth, and clean. This cloth is not sold for all-wool, 
so is not considered adulterated. 



SHODDY 

As has been said before, the demand for woolen goods is so much 
greater than the supply that it is necessary to resort to various meas- 
ures to increase the supply of cloth. One method is to use the wool 
over and over again. Rags are bought up by the rag man, sold to the 
larger dealer and then to the ''shoddy" manufacturer, who cleans 
them, sorts them, tears them to pieces, and uses the best all-wool rags 



1917] 



Some Points in Choosing Textiles 



11 



to produce fibers which are respun and again woven, either separately, 
if of very good quality, or mixed with new wool or cotton. Such a 
material is w^arm, looks well for a time, and has its place, but must not 
be bought for new wool, or demand the price of good woolen cloth. 
This industry is enormous and shoddy is often found in expensive 
novelty materials as well as in cheap "all-wool" cloth. Because of the 
shortness of the fibers it may be detected readily Avhen used alone, but 
in combination with good wool detection is more difficult. 

One class of shoddy consists of very short fibers, clippings from 
the mills, which are worked into the surface of a felted cloth after it 
is woven. These short fibers after a time work out and are found in 
the bottoms of coats, inside the linings, etc., leaving the surface of the 
cloth thread-bare. 




Figure 4 



Figure 4 shows a piece of shoddy cloth, sold for all-wool at fifty 
cents a yard. This cloth would be warm, but does not look as well as 
more expensive cloth, and will not wear as long as new wool. There 
is some cotton mixed with the wool before spinning, therefore it is 
difficult to detect. 

SILK 

Silk is frequently known as the fiber of luxury. It is the most 
expensive to cultivate, the most beautiful, and the strongest fiber. 



12 UxivERsiTV OP Illinois Bulletin' [Angnst, 

Since it is tlie most expensive fiber to Iniy, and the demand for it is so 
great, the temptations to adulterate are also very great. The long, 
strong, lustrous silk fiber, which l)leaches and dyes beautifully and is 
as fine as a spider's web, is not to be duplicated. The best grade or 
"reeled silk" is taken from the cocoon in one continuous thread, which 
may be several hundred yards long. In manufacturing reeled silk, 
many defective cocoons are found in which the fibers are not perfect, 
or are broken. The, silk from these cocoons may be treated like a short 
fiber and spun into threads varying in strength according to the length 
of the fibers. This so-called "spun" silk has not the high luster nor 
strength of reeled silk, but it is often used as warp with reeled silk 
filling, or in imitation pongee, in the back of satins and velvets, and in 
many other Avays. 

In olden times the price of silk was much greater than now, but 
the material was much-more durable. Silks Avhich have been laid aw^ay 
for a hundred years are still in fairly good condition. Now our silks 
are much cheaper, and the result is that when they are ])ut away, even 
for a few months, they may fall into bits, and their wearing quality 
cannot be compared with the good old silks of long ago. The reason 
for this change is not hard$to find. The cost of raw silk is about 
thirty times that of raw, cotton, and the waste at least five times that 
of cotton. The manufacturer must make up in some way if he is to 
sell silk at the prices deinandedb^ the public. 

Silk has a very great ability to absorb dyes and metallic salts 
v/ithout' apparently changing the quality of the material, and since 
dyes and metallic salts are much cheaper than pure silk, the manufac- 
turer makes great use of these materials. Loading is the common name 
for this process of treating silk,; and it is common practise to add thirty 
percent of foreign material, just the percentage lost by the silk when 
the gum is removed, while it is possi]:)le to add two hundred and fifty 
01' even three hundred percent. :, 

When we buy novelties and .do not care how short their life is to 
be, these heavily w^eighted silks answer the ])urpose very well, but when 
we wish for durability and the silk begins to crack and split or to be- 
come shiny after a few w'carings, we realize the disadvantage of our 
modern methods. Practically no silk can be found on the market 
entirely free from loading, but there is a great difference in the amount 
present. 

Burning is the simplest test for good silk; a thread of pure silk 
will ])urn slowly, leaving as it burns a very small amount of crisp ash 
in a ])all at the end of the thread. Heavily weighted silk burns and 
leaves the ash in the form of the original thread; this ash of course 
drops to pieces readily. Figure 5A shows a piece of taffeta sold for 
one dollar a yard ; Figure 5B shows the result of burning this silk. 
This ash, left in the shape of tho original sample, is made up of 



1917] 



Some Poixts ix Choosixg Textiles 



13 




Figure 5 



14 University of Illinois Bulletin [Augtist, 

metallic salts, dyestuffs, etc. A very small percentage of ash would be 
left from the silk itself. 

Another method of adulterating silk is with cotton. The fibers are 
not spun together, as the cotton and wool, but the threads of the two 
materials are woven together. In satins, velvets, and brocades, the 
cotton is entirely covered by the silk threads on the surface and 
appears as the back of the cloth. In cheap silks a fine cotton thread 
sometimes forms either warp or filling. 

Pongee is a material made from the cocoon of the uncultivated 
silk worm ; rajah, tussah, and other uneven, coarse materials are from 
the same source. These silks are very strong, but do not have a high 
luster. Mercerized cotton looks quite silky and is sometimes mixed 
with these silks, or a material of mercerized cotton and spun silk, or 
even one entirely of mercerized cotton, may be sold for pongee. 

ARTIFICIAL OR FIBER SILK 

Altho silk nuiy not be duplicated, modern science has devel- 
oped a fiber which has rapidly found a place as a substitute for silk. 
Artificial, or fiber silk, as it is commonly called, is a solution of a 
preparation of cotton or wood fiber, so treated that after being put 
thru fine tubes it hardens upon being passed thru water. There is 
practically no limit to the length of this fiber, which has a high 
metallic luster and is strong. Material woven from fiber silk lacks the 
softness and richness of true silk, but is exceedingly lustrous with good 
wearing quality, is much less expensive than pure silk, and has many 
uses. Fiber silk may be distinguished readily from true silk by the 
metallic quality of its luster or by the stiffness of the fiber. Fiber silk 
burns very quickly, even more so than cotton, while true silk burns 
slowly. This fiber is not to be considered as an adulteration, but as a 
desirable product which brings within the reach of those with moderate 
means a material which combines beauty and wearing quality. It is 
woven alone or in combination with cotton or wool. 

RAMIE 

A fiber commonly used in the Orient, but requiring too much hard 
labor in its production for wide cultivation in this countr.y, is called 
ramie, or grass linen. In recent years, considerable ramie cloth has 
been brought to this country and has had some popularity. Ramie 
while resembling linen, has a more silky luster, but the cloth has less 
body and wrinkles even more easily than linen. Its chief popularity 
here has been in the form of oriental embroideries, doilies, and dresses, 
altho it is also sold by the yard in white and some few colors and in 
various weights of material. The silky luster makes ramie readily 
distinguishable from linen. 



1917] Some Points in Choosing Textiles . 15 

JUTE 

Jute; commonly known in string, coarse bagging, door mats, and 
the back of carpets, is also used in upholstery materials. The brownish 
tan thread made from this irregular fiber when combined with cotton, 
mercerized or not, or with silk, produces a very effective fabric. Tho 
difficult to bleach, and therefore used most commonly in its natural 
color, or dyed in dark coloi's, the best grades of jute may be bleached 
quite light. Pile fabrics woven of jute in a variety of colors are popu- 
lar for carriage robes and sometimes are used for portieres. Altho 
not as durable as linen, jute, particularly in its unbleached state, has 
good wearing quality, and is less expensive than linen. The stiff woody 
nature and the color of the fiber distinguish it from linen. 

SUMMARY 

METHODS OF ADULTEEATION 

The adulterations most likely to be found and the tests for them 
are as follows: 

1. By combination. Use of other fibers than the one indicated 
by the name of the material. Examples : cotton in woolens, cotton in 
linens, etc. 

2. By substitution. Selling one fiber under the name of an 
entirely different one. Example : mercerized cotton sold for silk or 
linen. 

3. By increasing the weight of a material. Examples : (a) cottons 
and linens with starch; (b) silks with metallic salts and dyes. 

4. By giving a finish which is deceptive. Examples: (a) heavy 
l)ressing or calendering an ordinary cotton to imitate mercerizing; 
(b) finishing cotton to look like linen; (c) printing paste dots on cot- 
ton to produce the effect of embroidered dotted swiss. 

5. By use of made-over yarns. Examples: shoddy in woolens, 
also addition of short wool, felted in surface. 

TESTS FOK ADULTERATION 

1. Examination of cloth to see if all threads are alike, and to 
distinguish kind of thread. 

2. Examination of individual threads. 

Cotton : short fibers, ends appear fuzzy in thread. 

Wool : short fibers, decidedly kinky and stiff. 

Silk: long straight fibers with luster; spun silk, fibers short, 

thread looks more like cotton and breaks more easily than 

reeled silk. 
Fiber silk: long comparatively stiff fibers with high metallic 

luster. 



16 University of Illinois Bulletin [August, 

Linen : strong threads, high luster ; when broken, ends are 

very uneven and straight. 
Ramie : fiber with silky luster, threads stiff. 
Jute: coarse, dark, woody fiber. 

3. Burning tests: (a) cotton burns quickly with flame; (b) wool 
burns slowly, chars, and gives off odor of burnt feathers ; (c) silk burns 
slowly, leaves small, crisp ash ; when weighted, leaves more ash ; d, 
linen, similar to cotton. 

4. Linen, if without much starch, becomes translucent when 
treated with olive oil ; cotton remains opaque. 

5. A mixture of cotton and wool, when wet, wrinkles more than 
pure wool. 

(3. A careful examination of the finish of the material. Observe 
il alike on both sides, and if the apparent beauty of the material is 
duo to finish or to good quality of fiber. 

Finally, the best grades of material are generally what they seem 
to be, altho this does not always hold true in silks, nor in materials 
where the effect is more important than the wearing quality. Ex- 
pensive broadcloths and table linens, worsted suitings, and good cot- 
tons do not pose for more than their true worth. It is when one turns 
to novelties, to silks, and to inexpensive materials, that one needs to 
be most vigilant. Be sure the inexpensive is not clicap, unless you wish 
a material cheap in wearing quality and appearance, as well as in cost. 

OTHER POINTS IN BUYING 

Aside from the question of whether the buyer is getting the kind 
of material she i)ays for, as to character of the fiber, there are other 
things to be considered in choosing textile fabrics. 

The weave affects the appearance and often the wearing (luality 
of cloth. A close twill weave makes a firm, durable material, while 
the loose basket weave gives quite a different effect and frequently is 
lacking in firmness. The satin or sateen weave makes a beautiful sur- 
face, especially in linens or silks, but may cover up defects in the 
hidden threads. Fancy weaves in cotton novelties, shirt-waist mate- 
rials, and fancy mulls, often leave loose threads wiiieh become soiled 
easily and may not be as attractive after washing. A cloth wdth a veiy 
heavy cross thread or filling and a very fine warp, or vice versa, may 
si)lit because of the great difference in the strength of the threads. 

Sometimes figures are woven in such a way that when the cloth is 
finished each figure has short ends of thread. For example, in weaving 
madras curtain material, the filling thread, which makes the figure, 
jumps from one figure to another, and after the material leaves the 
loom, the loose threads are cut off' of the back of the material. Often 
these short pieces wash out or the ends become rough and fuzzy. 



1917] Some Points in Choosing Textiles 17 

111 choosing a material from the large variety on the market, 
determine first the use to which it is to be put, and then what is appro- 
priate to that use. The cloth which is suitable for a street suit obvi- 
ously is not suited to the party gown, neither are laces or dressy 
waists appropriate for working clothes. Clothes that are to be worn 
constantly need to be of material that wull stand frequent cleaning. In 
materials used in house furnishing, certain ones must be cleaned often, 
and unless one can afford to pay frequent cleaner's bills, washable 
materials are better for curtains, bed-spreads, table-covers, etc. The 
cost is the next point to be considered, and necessarily that must be 
determined by one's purse. It is not always economy, however, to 
buy the inexpensive things, for, as we have seen, the inexpensive 
ai tides are more likely to be the cheap ones. With our desire for con- 
tinual change, our love of novelty and fad, we have become very 
extravagant. So long as fashion demands new garments every few- 
months, and women attempt to follow the styles, they must choose inex- 
pensive materials unless they have a large amount of money and care 
nothing for wearing quality. In the end, however, the woman who 
buys carefully, makes use of conservative styles which do not change 
every few months, and chooses handsome material, is not only more 
economically, but also usually better dressed. 

The hygienic properties of materials should be carefully con- 
sidered. Those next the body should be able to care for the perspira- 
tion and the excretions of the skin. Woolen and silk are best suited 
by their physical structure to do this, but wool is too warm and too 
ii'ritating to many people and does not wash well, while silk is too 
expensive. Many kinds of cotton underwear have been manufactured 
which, by their structure, aid in absorbing moisture. Undeinvear knit- 
ted or woven with meshes containing large enclosed air spaces is more 
hygienic than closely woven cotton garments. The air spaces in the 
mesh material are non-conductors of heat and are also ventilators. The 
closely woven garment does not allow a change of air next the skin and 
becomes clammy when moist. Garments which come in contact with 
the outside air must be more closely woven to keep out the wind. Two 
layers of lighter weight material are warmer than one layer of thick 
because of the non-conducting air between. Heavy clothes are bad for 
the body because of the extra load which must be carried about. 

Finally, in choosing materials, if one is to have the greatest 
])leasure from them and give one's friends the greatest pleasure, color 
and design are very important. Colors should be suitable to the use 
and to the person who is to wear the material. Bright colors make one 
conspicuous and are exciting, dull ugly colors are depressing, while 
soft, rich colors are elegant, becoming, and in good taste. 



18 University of Illinois Bulletin 

Designs should fit the place in which they are to be used. Eugs 
should be so designed that they serve as a background for the furniture 
of the room and also add richness in color and some variety. Mate- 
rials which are to hang in folds should have designs which do not de- 
pend on smoothness ')i surface in order that they may be effective. 
For clothing, designs should be inconspicuous', modest stripes, dots, 
and plaids being most successful, except on very soft, thin materials, 
when larger and less conventional designs may be used. 

To buy intelligently it is necessary, then, that a woman should 
know before she purchases a piece of cloth just where it is to be used, 
w^hat she can afford to pay for it, and what she should be able to get 
for that amount of money, and then be able to tell whether the piece 
of cloth she buys is really what it is represented to be. At the present 
time, the rush to the bargain counter, the enormous amount of cheap, 
poor material manufactured, and the great waste in dress, all go -to 
prove that there are many women who are not intelligent buyers. 

When women demand a better quality of materials and- refuse to 
buy cheap things, the manufacturers will cease to produce worthless 
goods. Perhaps, however, before that day arrives, the thoughtful 
workers of the land will have succeeded in passing a pure-textile law, 
which shall do for our cloth what the pure-food act is doing for our 
food supplies ; then the honest tho ignorant buyer will be ]>rotected, 
but it will still be her part to demand good, artistic, and useful 
materials. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
018 372 442 3 



Conservation Resources 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



iini 

018 372 442 3 « 



4 



